MVPs in multiple pop culture categories drove in $2.57M total at Hake’s 

James M. Cox and Franklin Delano Roosevelt 1920 jugate button, 1-inch diameter, believed to have been a salesman’s sample. One of only six of its type known to exist, this button was the crown jewel of the legendary John Hilhouse collection. Sold for $100,300 against an estimate of $35,000-$50,000

YORK, Pa. – Hake’s served up a pop culture feast at their March 21-22 Premier Auction, with one exciting rarity after another eliciting pre-sale comments like, “I’ve never seen one of those in the marketplace before” or “I never even knew that piece existed.” Closing at $2,570,000 inclusive of buyer’s premium, the two-day event was led by heavy hitters from the baseball, political memorabilia, Star Wars, comic art and vintage toy categories. Many items powered past their high estimates, and some set new world auction records along the way.

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Hake’s brings more rare Star Wars, vintage video games to auction, Nov. 15-16

Encased Star Wars (1978) 3.75in Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi 12 Back-A double-telescoping lightsaber action figure with SKU on footer denoted earlier production, AFA 75 Ex+/NM. Extremely rare and only the third carded specimen of its type ever to be offered by Hake’s. Estimate $100,000-$200,000. Image courtesy of Hake’s Auctions
Encased Star Wars (1978) 3.75in Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi 12 Back-A double-telescoping lightsaber action figure with SKU on footer denoted earlier production, AFA 75 Ex+/NM. Extremely rare and only the third carded specimen of its type ever to be offered by Hake’s. Estimate $100,000-$200,000. Image courtesy of Hake’s Auctions
Encased Star Wars (1978) 3.75in Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi 12 Back-A double-telescoping lightsaber action figure with SKU on footer denoted earlier production, AFA 75 Ex+/NM. Extremely rare and only the third carded specimen of its type ever to be offered by Hake’s. Estimate $100,000-$200,000. Image courtesy of Hake’s Auctions

YORK, Pa. – The quest for early Star Wars collectibles has reached a fevered pitch, but the auction market tells us the journey is just beginning. Interest in Star Wars items is stronger than ever, especially for prototypes and samples, rare variations, and toys produced in low numbers or no numbers at all. To some, it may seem that Hake’s – the auction house holding numerous world records for Star Wars material – has already sold the ultimate rarities from that wildly popular category. But exciting surprises continue to emerge, some from unexpected sources, and those fresh consignments and new discoveries will be front and center at Hake’s November 15-16 pop culture auction. View the fully illustrated catalog on LiveAuctioneers.

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Hake’s Nov. 15-16 auction answers demand for Star Wars collectibles, vintage video games

Left: ‘Journey Into Mystery’ #83, August 1962, features origin and first appearance of Marvel’s God of Thunder, The Mighty Thor. CGC 5.5 Fine. Estimate $10,000-$20,000; Right: Marvel ‘Tales Of Suspense’ #39, March 1963, features origin and first appearance of Iron Man. CGC 4.5 VG+. Estimate $10,000-$20,000

YORK, Pa. – The quest for early Star Wars collectibles has reached a fevered pitch, but the auction market tells us the journey is just beginning. Interest in Star Wars items is stronger than ever, especially for prototypes and samples, rare variations, and toys produced in low numbers or no numbers at all. To some, it may seem that Hake’s – the auction house holding numerous world records for Star Wars material – has already sold the ultimate rarities from that wildly popular category. But exciting surprises continue to emerge, some from unexpected sources, and those fresh consignments and new discoveries will be front and center at Hake’s November 15-16 pop culture auction.

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Original comic book art: next-level collecting

This cover illustration for the Incredible Hulk #283 by Ed Hannigan (Marvel, May 1983) ticks all the boxes, but the fact that it was in color had no effect on its performance at auction. It attained $33,314 including the buyer’s premium in March 2022. Image courtesy of Hake’s Auctions and LiveAuctioneers.
This cover illustration for the Incredible Hulk #283 by Ed Hannigan (Marvel, May 1983) ticks all the boxes, but the fact that it was in color had no effect on its performance at auction. It attained $33,314 including the buyer’s premium in March 2022. Image courtesy of Hake’s Auctions and LiveAuctioneers.
This cover illustration for the Incredible Hulk #283 by Ed Hannigan (Marvel, May 1983) ticks all the boxes, but the fact that it was in color had no effect on its performance at auction. It attained $33,314 including the buyer’s premium in March 2022. Image courtesy of Hake’s Auctions and LiveAuctioneers.

NEW YORK — People of all ages buy comic books to read for pleasure, and a subset of them enjoy collecting investment-grade examples. Still others chase the original hand-drawn illustrations that are reproduced en masse in the actual comic books. “This is another level of fan that very much revels in owning one-of-a-kind works of art,” said Alex Winter, president of Hake’s Auctions in York, Pennsylvania. “It is this unique nature that makes comic art highly sought after by that crowd.”

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Hake’s to auction incomparable pop culture memorabilia, March 15-16

James M Cox/Franklin D Roosevelt jugate button, 1.25in size, one of only six known in 1.25-inch size and one of only three known in this design; the first of its type to reach the marketplace in 40 years. Considered the ultimate political button, on par with a Honus Wagner T206 baseball card or ‘Action Comics’ #1. Estimate $100,000-$200,000

YORK, Pa. – Pop culture fans reacted with stunned disbelief, then excitement, last November when Hake’s sold a Captain American “hero-prop” shield used by Chris Evans in the 2019 film Avengers: Endgame. The pristine star-emblazoned shield commanded $259,540, the highest price ever paid at auction for a Marvel movie prop and the top price recorded in any sale of Hake’s record-setting $10 million year. However, America’s oldest collectibles auction house is not one to rest on its laurels, as the jaw-dropping lineup just announced for their March 15-16 auction clearly shows.

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